Local research strengthens the health system

More emphasis on medical research is needed for the UAE healthcare system to strengthen and for the country to reach a knowledge-based economy.

Research into chronic diseases that affect people in the UAE and in the wider region is obviously in the interests of those whose health is blighted, but investment in medical research also holds out the potential for much more significant benefits to the nation. If the UAE can attract top researchers to local universities, including conducting clinical trials, it can initiate a virtuous circle that will not just address individual patients’ symptoms but also establish the UAE as a centre of knowledge that willbolster the goal of creating a knowledge economy in the Emirates.

But, as The National reported yesterday, there is much work that needs to be done to make this goal a reality. Experts observed that despite the efforts to support such a move, the country is lagging behind. Judging by the number of studies that were published in medical journals last year, for example, only 87 out of 2,477 citable documents produced by UAE researchers were considered to be of high quality.

The issue is more complicated than it might seem. There are many different parties involved in the process. Local research institutions, universities and healthcare centres, as well as pharmaceutical companies all need to work together to develop a solid research system that can produce substantial medical outcomes. This, of course, isn’t easy and cannot occur in just a year or two. There is also a need to set up a national medical registry to keep a constant data record and a framework for ethics to ensure the integrity of clinical trials.

The good news is that the government is making health care a priority. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, considered health as one of the two main national issues when he launched the UAE’s largest brainstorming session at the beginning of this month; and the Ministry of Health is predicting an increase in Government spending on the healthcare sector, which could reach Dh40 billion by 2015. These resources should be used efficiently and that explains the importance of research at the moment.

The country can have an advantage if it focuses on more frequent health issues, such as diabetes and thalassaemia, by developing the skills and expertise needed to contribute in the scientific research body and practices. By doing so, the UAE will be moving in the fast lane to reach a knowledge-based economy.